Family photos are not what they used to be. We have come a long way from stuffy department store portraits where everyone feels uptight and nobody looks like themselves. Back then, I could understand why our parents only scheduled family photos every couple of years. Now, however, times have changed! Family photos are a fun, creative, and beautiful way to record your family’s unique story. I believe that you should have family photos taken every year, if not more often, and I will tell you why.

Kids Grow Up Fast

If you have younger children or grandchildren in your family, you know just how quickly those little ones change! There is a reason we document babies every month for the first year of their lives. The kids will look like a whole new set of kids after one year. After the children are grown, you will be so glad that you made the effort to take annual family photos so that you can look back and watch them grow up over and over again.

Families Change

Life is never stagnant. Things are always moving and changing! New marriages, new babies, new houses, and even new pets enter the picture and should be documented.

Unfamiliar Things are Stressful

If you rarely take family photos, it puts so much pressure on the session when you finally do schedule one. The more frequently you take photos, the more relaxed you can be because you and your family are comfortable with your photographer and because you know there will be another session soon if something goes wrong.

Rotate Seasons

There are different benefits to each season when it comes to family photo sessions. I like to switch up which season my family takes photos in each year. Fall has gorgeous colorful foliage; Winter is a good season for either snow or studio sessions; Spring blooms are as beautiful as they sound; and Summer is the perfect season for outdoor shoots with mountainous backgrounds.

More Creativity

Your kids will love getting creative with the photo sessions as they get more comfortable taking photos. They can choose their own outfits and incorporate things that they are interested in. It will be so fun to look back on what your family was interested in throughout the years and see how much everyone has grown and changed.

Tips for success:

Set reminders on your phone for when it is time to schedule your next family photo session!
Invest in outfits that go together throughout the year. When you buy outfits for special occasions such as Easter Sunday, birthday outfits, or whenever you buy new clothes, try to choose neutrals or things that just look good together. That way, it is less of a hassle to coordinate outfits for frequent photo shoots.
USE your photos! Print them out and hang them on your walls; share them with friends and family online; and send them to your loved ones. You get more value out of your photos when you find ways to put them to use and enjoy them more fully.
Stay in touch with your photographer to ensure that your family has a comfortable relationship with them and to take advantage of any deals and sales!